Last week I wrote of my predilection for works of fiction documenting weird happenings and other supernatural occurrences (here). I started off with a selection of anthologies curated by one of supernatural fiction’s leading lights, August Derleth but this week I’m considering the work of pulp fiction houses, ever quick to catch on to a quick way of boosting their circulation figures.

The two publishers featured in this selection are far better known for their science fiction output than many of the other genres they also traded in but make no mistake, these books were all about bringing horror and the supernatural to the table.

Both Brown & Watson’s Digit Books and Badger Books were most active in the 1950s and 60s, pumping out titles wrapped in lurid covers at an astonishing rate. There are many, many hundreds of books printed by these two publishers alone out there for the connoisseur of pulp to collect. I have a healthy selection of both to choose from but nothing compared to what’s available hidden away within the secondhand market. I’m currently featuring Badger SF books on Sunday posts and am busy preparing a series to cover my collection of digits too if you’re interested to see more.

But I digress, it’s time to get pulpy and lurid with eight terrible tomes containing tales of unspeakably foul horrors;

Terror In The Modern Vein edited by Donald A. Wollheim
This version was published in 1961 by Digit Books
The cover artist is D. Rainey

More Terror In The Modern Vein edited by Donald A. Wollheim
This version was published in 1961 by Digit Books
The cover artist is uncredited

Phantoms Of The Night by Elliott O’Donnell
This version was published in 1963 by Digit Books
The cover artist is uncredited

Shadows Of Evil by Elliott O’Donnell
This version was published in 1963 by Digit Books
The cover artist is uncredited

The Unseen by Lee Barton
(Serial Number SN78)
This version was published in 1963 by Badger Books Books
The cover artist is uncredited

Supernatural Stories No.43 featuring Face In The Dark by R. L. Fanthorpe
(Serial Number SN43)
This version was published in 1961 by Badger Books
The cover artist is Rainey

Supernatural Stories No.89 featuring The Shrouded Abbot by R. L. Fanthorpe
(Serial Number SN89)
This version was published in 1964 by Badger Books
The cover artist is H. Fox

Supernatural Stories No.99 featuring Vision Of The Damned by R. L. Fanthorpe
(Serial Number SN99)
This version was published in 1965 by Badger Books
The cover artist is H. Fox